Electrical wiring colours

[pine-o-cleen]

Can never understand the logic in changing the color code. Must have been a European me to thing..

Brown for phase, blue for neutral and green / yellow for earth is the American standard. We adopted it when American companies started producing 230v appliances for our use and being American, they refused to change color codes.

[Safari]

Brown for phase, blue for neutral and green / yellow for earth is the American standard. We adopted it when American companies started producing 230v appliances for our use and being American, they refused to change color codes.

That is not the American standard at all.
We are conforming to the UK/European standard

[gary67]

You definatley can't do your own wiring Sammo heck if you could I would have rewired my house by now, luckily for me I work in the construction industry as a Joiner and can call in favors when i need wiring done

[Terry Porritt]

There seems to be confusion over what can and cannot be done as a member of the public, ie as a none qualified electrician or electrical engineer.

These publications give the low down:

"A Guide to Doing your Own Electrical Work Safely and Legally"

http://www.ess.govt.nz/templates/Mul...____18598.aspx

http://www.ess.govt.nz/upload/31994/brochure.pdf

"The following are the main electrical
repairs you can do yourself at your
home...
For a full list of the electrical repairs you can do on
your home, refer to regulation 47 of the Electricity
Regulations 1997:
1.Replace switches; socket outlets, lamp holders,
ceiling roses, water heater switches, thermo-
stats and elements.
2.Repair light fittings.
3.Move, repair or replace flexible cords that are
connected to permanently connected outlets or
ceiling roses.
4.Disconnect and
reconnect perma-
nently wired
appliances.
5.Move switches,
sockets and lighting
outlets, but only if
they are wired with
tough plastic
sheathed cables.
6.Install, extend, or alter any cables, except the
main cables that come from the street to your
switchboard.
Make sure the power is
switched off before you start"



....and in more detail
http://www.ess.govt.nz/upload/33458/ecp51v18.pdf.

It is interesting that as NZ has relaxed regulations somewhat allowing a bit more electrical work by Joe Blogs, they have been tightened up in the UK since 2005, whereas before then there was little restriction, I suspect because of the massive influx of third world immigrants/refugees whose knowledge would be less than minimal.

[R2x1]

It is interesting that as NZ has relaxed regulations somewhat allowing a bit more electrical work by Joe Blogs, they have been tightened up in the UK since 2005, whereas before then there was little restriction, I suspect because of the massive influx of third world immigrants/refugees whose knowledge would be less than minimal.

Would it be fair to say with the example of Lucas in front of them, the UK legislators said the damn electricity is pretty dangerous stuff on the rare occasions it actually flows, so we must permit only the annointed mages to meddle there?

[wmoore]

That is not the American standard at all.
We are conforming to the UK/European standard

The USA colours are

Black-Live
White-neutral
Green-Earth

[Poppa John]

You can do any wiring in your house that you want. As long as you have a registered electrician inspect it & issue the requisite certificate. That then makes Him responsible fo the wiring integrity.

Very few electricians would be willing to do that. I never did. PJ

[prefect]

Would it be fair to say with the example of Lucas in front of them, the UK legislators said the damn electricity is pretty dangerous stuff on the rare occasions it actually flows, so we must permit only the annointed mages to meddle there?

Mega lol
Read a while ago us soldiers have been electrocuted to death by wiring in the showers and accommodation in Iraq And Afghanistan.
Electricity and water a bit of a bugger combo.
Imo the change of colours is a good thing because you have to think twice before wiring stuff up. I have a laminated A4 thingy with the colours.

[paulw]

Brown for phase, blue for neutral and green / yellow for earth is the American standard. We adopted it when American companies started producing 230v appliances for our use and being American, they refused to change color codes.

Last time I look US standard was black = live, white = neutral and green = ground..

[Terry Porritt]

Would it be fair to say with the example of Lucas in front of them, the UK legislators said the damn electricity is pretty dangerous stuff on the rare occasions it actually flows, so we must permit only the annointed mages to meddle there?

I suppose even the nominal 12 volts of the Lucas car systems, or even the 6 volts of the British motorbikes were dangerous in the hands of the uninitiated.
However for those of us brought up in the ways of Lucas there was never any danger.

It would have been around 1964/65, I remember because I was at English Electric then, and I remember we talked about it....... that for flexible appliance cables the brown - blue - green/yellow colours were introduced.

This was to harmonise with European practise, to show goodwill, even though General De Gaulle had rejected Britain's application with his famous saying "Non".

It has taken all this time for UK TPS house wiring to change from red/black/green.

There was the same reluctance to harmonise with sausages, Brussels years ago wanted Britain to abandon its traditional bread filled pork 'bangers' and adopt European sausages. I've rather lost track of events since then.............